Exploring the Physical World

From the earth beneath our feet to the stars we wish upon, the physical world around us is still a mystery – and the Weizmann Institute’s curiosity-driven scientists are working to understand it.

In a world’s first, our archaeologists discovered a way to precisely identify and analyze prehistoric ashes, and found a highly pure, well-preserved source of DNA in fossilized bone.

Our materials scientists and structural biologists found that bone and shell actually form in similar ways. Our astrophysicists actually watched – for the first time – as a massive star, later estimated at a mass of perhaps 200 suns, went supernova and became a black hole.

Our hydrologists created a model of groundwater movement that can aid development of sound environmental policy, such as after an oil spill.

From learning about the past to shaping the future, the Weizmann Institute of Science is exploring new frontiers to reveal how the world works.